01 July 2011

After dealing with numbness that began last season during long rides on my road bike, this week I'm in the process of testing out a new saddle.

My previous saddle (a Selle Italio San Marcos) was causing severe numbness after long rides which obviously is not good. Evidently it wore out to the point that it was a hazard, though it never did fit me that well. After looking around at online many different saddle recommendations in forums, blogs, etc., I couldn't find any consistency anywhere. I saw so many recommendations for so many saddles I didn't know where to start. So I decided to head over to Colorado Multisport to see what they might recommend. I have trusted their recommendations in the past and they have served me well.

After trying a few saddles that didn't thrill me at all, Geoff pulled out a brand that was new to me -- Cobb Cycling. I tried a few models and found that I really liked the Cobb Cycling SHC. Of course it's difficult to determine in a 10 minute period while spinning on a trainer if a saddle is right for you, so I checked out the saddle for the week and I've been riding it ever since. Let me say that after dealing with the previous ill-fitted saddle for so long, it has been a pleasure to ride this saddle.

I learned a few years ago to never, ever go out riding without at least one extra tube (if not two) and air cartridges. Presumably you may need a tube if you experience a flat (patching a road tube is near impossible because they're so thin), the second tube I refer to as a karma tube because I have given away a few to other folks who I come across who are stranded with a flat and no supplies. I prefer to carry air cartridges because they are smaller and so much more reliable than a pump. I never had a good experience with a travel pump, so I tried cartridges and never looked back. So the only question I had left about this new saddle was about a bag to carry the all important tubes and air.

CMS had no recommendations and searching online rendered no recommendations. So I decided to call Cobb Cycling to see what they might recommend, especially since the Cervelo seat post is a tear-drop shape instead of a round shape. I figured I'd speak to a sales rep or a mechanic type who might be able to offer me something. About 30 minutes after leaving a message, surprisingly, John Cobb himself called me back. Although he didn't have a solid recommendation for a specific bag, he offered me a couple tips from his experience in fitting Cobb saddles on Cervelos.